The provincial government has made stringent security arrangements to control law and order in Karachi on the arrival of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq's body on Saturday. Interior Minister Rehman Malik had expressed apprehensions that terror attacks could mar the MQM slain leader's funeral ceremony, citing an information that he had received from some arrested terrorists who were involved in the killing of MQM's provincial legislator Raza Haider.

But on Friday, traders were forced to close their shops early, on the eve of arrival of Dr Imran Farooq's dead body. "Some people came to us and said close your shops before 5 pm," said a small trader at Guru Mandir. Public transport also disappeared from the roads in the evening hours of Friday following a bus torching incident in the metropolis. Most of the petrol pumps and CNG stations were also closed early after the warning by some people.

At around 6.30 pm some 60 percent of the markets were closed for fears of violence and destruction to their businesses, traders said. The city traders have already announced to keep their businesses shut on the funeral day of Dr Imran Farooq. "Situation here is tense as traders are very much perturbed whether to close or continue their businesses on Friday. However, all markets will remain closed on Friday," said Chairman Old City Traders Alliance, Jamil Paracha.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010